Twisted Love Tale
by gods of death
Summary: Slash Valmont is in love with Finn. When he gets the nerve to tell him things get crazy. Its hard to have a proper relationship with demons, ancient magic, government agencies, and martial artists mixed in. Its a crazy love life, if you can call it that.
1. Chapter 1

JC: Happy Valentines Day! This is my gift to you all! It is a new story!

Thomas: Jackie Chan Adventures? Sad..

Bou: Yeah! There just aren't enough of these.

Thomas: Since when do you watch that show?

JC: It is my nephew's favorite show. We watch it together every night. He got me hooked.

Bou: I love Valmont! He has money.

JC: Me too, we all love money. I like Finn, too. Disco is underrated.

Thomas: Speaking of that...maybe we should do the pairings?

JC: Um...disclaimer always comes first. Bou?

**Disclaimer**: Bou: We don't own Jackie Chan Adventures. Jackie Chan and other various people do. We do, however, own the plot to this story. Don't steal it and claim it is yours.

JC: That is another section, that we like to call:

**Archive**: JC: If you want to post this on you web page(though I don't know why you would) you must first follow three simple steps. And they are simple.

1. Email me or contact me in some way(a review will work even) to let me know

2. Put my name on it somewhere. Don't steal it and call it your own. Give me a little credit.

3. Give me the address of the site. You can send this with the notification in step 1

Bou: But no one wants a gross JCA slash on their site.

JC: Speaking of that...

**WARNING**: Thomas: This story is slash! Two dudes, who are male, men, guys, people with an x and a y, kissing and doing other such things. They are homosexual. If you don't like that kind of thing, I suggest you leave now.

Bou: Not a bad suggestion. Anything else?

JC: Pairing...which you can do.

**Pairings**: Bou: Finn/Valmont with some hints at Shendu/Finn(but that is short and one-sided)

JC: One thing left.

**Plot**: Thomas: None in sight. Actually, there is one. Valmont is infatuated with Finn. He finally gets the nerve to tell him, but things get crazy. It's hard to hold a relationship when demons are harassing you and a certain martial artist who hates you keeps showing up. Take a ride through Valmont crazy, and rather comical, love life(or lack thereof).

Bou: Wow...that was a decent description.

JC: Yeah. People, I really think this series will be good. I'd appreciate comments on it. I want to improve you know. Now...

Bou: Read!

Thomas: And...enjoy...if you can

JC: Oh, you will. I hope...er...read!

Bou: And enjoy! (that was pointless..but it all is really)

000

A Twisted Love Tale

Chapter One: The Twisted Tale Begins

Valmont watched the boy in front of him with an odd interest. The red head was talking, but he wasn't really hearing any of it. He was completely entranced by the man in front of him, his eyes roaming over the other's body. He scanned the white suit and pink shirt underneath, something that would have looked stupid on someone else yet, oddly, worked well on this man. Besides, the medallion he wore with it was kind of cute. The side burns, though probably on anyone else stupid, on him were cute. The overall fact that he loved disco so much was cute, too. Hell, everything about him was cute. His skin was a pale ivory. From the times Valmont had brushed hands with the other, he could tell it was soft. The other's hair was a vibrant color of red, one the crime lord had never seen on anyone else(not that he knew many red heads, but he was still sure that it couldn't look better on anyone else) and he longed to run his hand through it. He dreamed of feeling those silky strands against his finger tips, along with other much more private things as well. Oh yes, and those eyes. The loveliest shade of green he had ever seen. Valmont rather liked green, if his usual attire didn't give that away. He felt as if he could stare into those eyes forever, though maybe not with other things about the man distracting him. It really was hard to keep his hands off the other. He wanted to feel himself pressed against the other, flesh against flesh, those green eyes darkened with lust, staring into his own.

"Big V?" Finn questioned, waving his hand in front of his boss' face. The white-haired man blinked, recognizing the other's nickname for him. He liked it, the nickname, actually. It was—how to put this?—cute. Besides, it gave him something from the man. After all, from what Valmont knew, Finn didn't have a nickname for Chow. Though, he did call Ratso Rat every once in a while, it didn't seem to fit in the same category as his own nickname.

"Are you ok?" Finn asked, leaning over the desk Valmont sat behind, his face close to his boss'. Those pink lips, so close to his own, all he had to do was lean forward a little. The proximity would drive him crazy if it kept any longer. The crime lord nodded weakly in reply to the others' question.

"Are you sure? You seem a little stressed lately. You need anything?" the red head looked genuinely concerned. That worried face made Valmont's heart race slightly. He nodded again.

"I'm...fine." He said finally. The red head pulled back away from the other, straightening his stooped over figure. He nodded, most worry being swept away from his face, though the tiniest trace remained.

"If you're sure." The other replied, "We can talk about this later, when you're more...not out of it." Valmont nodded his head, standing up.

"Yes, yes. Later." He agreed. The other glanced at him one last time before turning to leave. Valmont watched as he trekked across the room, licking his lips unconsciously as he watched the others hips sway slightly as he walked(most likely an unintentional thing). He went out the door, closing it silently behind him, not looking back. The white-haired man sighed and began pacing his office. This was bad. He was going crazy over his employee. By God, he was Valmont! He was rich and powerful and could have anything he wanted. Yet, he didn't feel so assured about the Irishman. He could have him, of course, but wether willingly or forced it was unclear. He didn't really want anything forced. He didn't want the other to be with him because he was scared to lose his job, or something equally absurd. No, he wanted him differently than anything he had ever wanted. But, then again, it really wasn't quite so different. No, not really. That was it. He would have the other. Who could truly resist him, after all? Not Finn, that was for sure. He would have that red head. He would.

A hiss from across the room broke the white-haired man out of his thoughts and caused him to cease his pacing. He glared at the statue of the dragon hanging on his wall.

"What is it?" he growled, stalking over to said dragon. The thing's eyes glowed red, making Valmont shiver. The thing really was very creepy. The only reason he kept it around was because of the promise of treasure.

"Quite a pretty one, isn't he?" the dragon hissed, red eyes flaring brightly.

"Shendu..." the other growled, his glare intensifying.

"You think so too, I can tell. The way you look at him. Not that I blame you. Didn't see many with that kind of hair when I ruled. He would make a nice acquisition, once I'm in power again. I can imagine it now." If the statue could, Valmont was sure it would have licked it's lips, "His pert lips, parting in a scream of pleasure, calling out my name. His heat against mine, I bet he is very warm." Of course, the fire demon would have a fetish for heat. Valmont shivered once more, disgusted.

"No. You will leave him alone." Valmont declared. The dragon hissed.

"What makes you think you can make me, foolish mortal?" Shendu sounded angry. It didn't matter, Valmont was much angrier.

"I refuse to help you then. If I restore your powers, you'll just take him. I won't allow that." Valmont replied, anger evident in his voice.

"Do you forget our deal?" the dragon hissed, eyes burning.

"He's worth more than the treasure..." Valmont said, quietly and truthfully. The dragon's eyes dimmed.

"Fine, have your human. There are plenty more who're less troublesome." Shendu said, his voice uncaring yet still laced with venom. Sighing in relief, Valmont turned away from the statue and quickly made his way across the room. With one last glare at the glowing red eyes, the man was out the door.

000

Valmont pressed his fingers against his temples as he walked, groaning lightly. This was not good. Shendu was insinuating taking Finn for himself. He couldn't let that disgusting old dragon put his hands, or more precisely claws, on what was his! And it was obviously his. Well, he hadn't really claimed it yet, not officially. That didn't matter though. Finn was as good as his. The dragon should realize that. He may not seem the type to value others' property but, hell, if Finn was _his_, _really his_, maybe the demon would leave him be. Yes, all he had to do was claim the red head. It was no big deal, who could resist him? Anyone would love to be his. He was rich, powerful, and of course gorgeous. It helped that he was British to, since people think that the accent is hot. Adjusting his collar slightly, Valmont made up his mind. Finn would be his. Enough delaying. All he had to do was walk up to him and say...

"Hey, big V." greeted Finn. Valmont stopped barely in front of the man. He had almost walked right into him. The white-haired man shook his head, trying to clear away his bothersome thoughts.

"Hello, Finn." Valmont replied, looking down at the slightly shorter man. He loved being tall. We all know about the height rule after all.

"You...um...wanna play some cards, big V? Me an' the guys were just about to start a game." Finn asked. Valmont shook his head.

"No, I'm not really in the mood." He replied, holding his aching head. Finn face sunk at the answer, but Valmont didn't see it.

"Oh...ok boss-man." Finn said, looking down at the ground with a slight frown. Valmont noticed this. He felt uncomfortable, being unsure why Finn looked so gloomy suddenly. It couldn't be because he didn't want to play cards. The boy could probably care less if he was there. Valmont held back a sigh, he'd been sighing too much lately, and started walking again. Finn fell into step with him. There was an awkward silence as the two walked.

"...shouldn't you be getting to your, erm, game?" Valmont attempted to start a conversation. Being so close to the other made him slightly nervous. He wasn't sure if he would be able to control himself around the other. Finn nodded slightly.

"Yeah, the boys'll be waiting for me in the deck..." Finn agreed, shifting awkwardly. It seemed cute to Valmont. Then something the other said caught his attention.

"The deck?" he asked, receiving a nod from Finn and a confused look, "But that's across the house. Why were you all the way down here?" Finn's face colored lightly. It was rather appealing on the younger man.

"Well...you seemed a little upset and I thought maybe playing some cards would make you feel better, so I came down here to invite you..." Finn cut himself off. Valmont looked down at the other man for a second before a slight smile lite his features.

"Alright. I'll play." He agreed, and Finn's face brightened.

000

Twenty hands and two packs of beer later, Valmont was down on cash. He only carried certain amount around with him normally, but it was still much more normal man would have. So, of course, he was shocked when he lost it all. At first he had been doing pretty well, winning the majority of hands, with Chow beating him in one or two. Then, Chow began to win the majority with Valmont only scoring a couple. Now that they were much more into the game, Finn was dominating. The pot at the moment was the biggest he had seen. Ratso and himself had both folded earlier and now Chow and Finn were going head to head, betting everything they had. The two glared at each other across the table, Chow growling low in his throat. Valmont could feel the aggression radiating throughout the room. The thought that poker really was a very competitive, and probably dangerous when tensions got this high, sport crossed the white-haired man's mind. Finn's hand twitched, his grip on his cards tight. Chow had a thin sheen of sweat covering his face. The two nodded at each other then both slapped their cards face up on the table. The four stared at the cards for a minute before Fin jumped up.

"YES!" Finn exclaimed, "I am the winner! Oh yeah! That's right, it's me." The red head began to dance around the table, doing various disco moves. Valmont was still staring at the cards in shock. The winning cards were two tens. The white haired man shook his head. This whole time they'd been competing and both had really crappy hands. Valmont finally pulled his attention away from the cards to watch Finn doing his disco-victory dance.

"Ah man." sighed Chow, a big grin in place on his face despite his loss "Nice win, Finn."

"Yeah, win even rhymes with Finn." Ratso laughed. Finn flashed them both grins and ended his dance.

"Thank you, thank you." Finn grinned, taking a deep bow before sitting back down and taking a sip of his beer.

"Well, I'm done playing." Chow declared, "I'm kind tired. Think I'll hit the hay." The Chinese man emphasized his point with a long stretch. Ratso nodded in agreement, holding back a yawn. The two bid the others good-bye and were out the door. Finn looked over at Valmont, a leisurely smile on his face.

"Ahh, alone at last." He joked, waggling his eye brows at Valmont. The crime lord smirked slightly at the other's antics. However, Valmont secretly agreed with that sentiment. Being alone with Finn, at the moment, was rather enjoyable. It was fun to be around the others, they really started the party, but Finn was still his favorite. Forget the fact that he wanted to shove the other onto the table and have his way with him. For the moment he was oddly content just to hang.

"So, boss-man, what now? You all done playing?" Finn asked, picking up his beer and polishing it off before tossing it into the garbage can by the wall. Valmont was surprised that the bottle actually made it in. The white haired man raised an eye brow at the redhead.

"I don't remember ever implying I was done. I'd like to win at least a bit of my money back." He replied smoothly. Finn grinned at him.

"One more round?" he asked. Valmont nodded his head in agreement, "One more round."

Finn's deft little fingers shuffled the deck with ease, playing around with the cards a little by doing various tricks. The white haired man watched in quiet appreciation as Finn's pretty hands began dealing out the cards at an impressive speed. Pretty hands. Now that was an odd thought. Valmont examined the fingers for a moment. It was true, though. Maybe not the first thing you noticed on the Irishman, defiantly not in fact, but he did indeed have a pair of pretty hands. The prettiest Valmont had ever seen, perhaps aside from his own. Hey, he could be egotistical if he wanted! He was the great Valmont, after all.

"Normal five card stud for this one. That good with you, big V?" Finn asked, shaking Valmont out of his thoughts. Though he didn't know it, he'd been doing that a lot. Most oddly, those thoughts were usually about the redhead himself. Ironic would be a good word. Or maybe coincidental. Either way. Valmont nodded his head weakly, now harboring an unbelievably strong urge to caress the other's hands. The white haired man clasped onto his cards, not looking at them. His knuckles turned white from the strength he was putting into holding them, but he refused to loosen his for fear that he would do something stupid. Finn mock glared at the other.

"Cards down, you cheater! We have to place the first bet before we look." Finn said, grinning slightly as Valmont's face tinted pink slightly.

"Yes, of course." Valmont muttered, slightly embarrassed. He put the cards down and pulled his hand under the tables. He began playing with a ruby ring on his hand. It was better than grabbing Finn and dragging him down to the floor where Valmont could have his wicked way with him. Ok, maybe that was a better. Finn tossed a coin into the middle to start and Valmont matched it, not in the mood to up the ante. He didn't have much left anyway. Finn didn't comment and they both silently picked up their cards. Finn's face had a small smile gracing it, which was normal for him. It was his natural look. It made Valmont want to smile too. However, the white haired man keep a relatively blank face, looking away from Finn to scan his cards. Not a bad hand. He could win with this, if luck was on his side. He looked up at Finn and grinned slightly, his smile not letting anything on. The red head man smiled back(practically melting Valmont) and tossed a few coins into the pot. Valmont grinned then tossed twice that amount. He figured he could win this, so he might as well get all he could. Finn raised an eyebrow at him, but matched the amount, adding a bit more of his own. The two went back and forth for a while and Valmont soon found himself out of money. The white haired man frowned at the pile that had just been added to by Finn. He was out of money which meant he couldn't match and couldn't continue the game. He had lost. Valmont glared at Finn.

"That is cheap." He growled. Finn frowned.

"S'not my fault you didn't stop raising the pot." the Irishman replied. Valmont sighed. He really didn't want to lose.

"There has to be something else. Is there something I could bet other than money?" the white haired man exclaimed, pouting slightly. It was an odd thing to see on Valmont. Finn thought for a moment before a grin spread across his face.

"Your jacket!" he exclaimed. Valmont raised an eyebrow in confusion, so Finn elaborated, "You can bet your jacket. I always liked it. After that we can just...agree not to bet anything more and whoever wins, wins. If you are willing to bet it, of course." Valmont grinned. He pulled of his jacket and tossed it onto the middle of the table.

"I'm willing to bet it...I have a couple more anyway." the crime lord shrugged. Finn grinned at him and the game commenced once more. Valmont put down two cards while Finn only put down one. The two stared at each other across the table, Valmont thinking about how pretty Finn's eyes were they looked so intense. Finally, after the white haired man got a chance to really appreciate how sexy Finn was when he was competitive, the Irishman slapped his hand down on the table. Valmont followed his example and the two studied each others' hand.

"And Finn wins again!" the redhead cheered, pulling the pot toward himself and grinning from ear to ear. The white haired man glared down at the two hands. A royal flush! Finn had beat his straight flush, an awesome hand, with a royal flush. The was just...wrong. He had been so close. He felt anger and disappointment flow through him. His eyes narrowed and he prepared to glare at everything as he looked up. Then, he saw the other. His green eyes were sparkling and his face was lite with a bright smile. Suddenly, the loss didn't seem so bad. Hell, if it made Finn this happy, he would lose more often. The red-haired man began to pack up his winnings as Valmont stretched his arms and lean back in his chair, leisurely watching the other. Tonight had really let him unwind. He felt so at ease with the guys and he could finally relax and stop his worrying. He seemed to have excess worries lately, especially with Shendu around, and it was good to have a stress relief. He should hang around the others more often. He always did love the time he spent with them. Hell, they were his friends. It wasn't something he would talk about, but it was true. Briefly, he wondered if the others considered him a friend. He secretly hoped so.

"Here." Once again, Finn had brought Valmont out of his contemplations. The white haired man looked quizzically at the other. Finn offered him a small smile, holding his green jacket out to him.

"It's cool, but I couldn't take it." Finn answered his silent question. Valmont felt a smile tug at his lips. Hell, forget everything. He was feeling good and he was gonna go for it. He was going to live and get what he wanted. Grabbing hold of the jacket, he tugged on it, causing Finn to stumble closer to him. Then, once he was close enough, Valmont pressed his lips against the other's in a soft kiss.

000

AN: Ok, I really feel that this stories(this pairing especially) and under rated. I had an urge to write this, and I plan to continue this series, even if it isn't popular. There are just not enough of these. Any of you fans out there, spread this to your friends. Start a new craze. Why not? Ok, I appreciate any reviews you will give me. I'm not sure if anyone will read this, but if you did please review. Even if you didn't like it, I would like to know. How else can I improve my writing? Thank you for reading this! You rock just for that.

Oh, and sorry. I know I should be updating All In The Date but...ok, I'll tell you guys the truth. I didn't plan on writing it quite yet. I'm just not in the mood. I only wrote the first part because someone requested it. Sorry, but I'll try to update it soon. Also, **SuperWuwu**, if you are reading this(which I doubt), pay attention. Sorry I accidently didn't answer your review. I will do it when I update AITD. Next, I'd love to write a Gundam Wing Story for you. I'd like specifics though. Any pairings you would like? A particular plot? Which character should it be mainly about(Duo I bet)? Anything you want to specify on would be great. But hey, you probably aren't reading this, so it doesn't matter.

That is all. Get out of here(and review...if you would be so kind).


	2. Chapter 2

JC: Holy, holy! It has been continued!

Bou: We apologize for how long it took. J was having emotional issues.

JC: I am sooo sorry to you all. We had AIMS a week ago and before that I was going crazy over that, so no writing for two whole weeks(the week before aims, and the week during it) over that crap. Bad excuse I know. I've also just kind of been off. My original stuff has been getting more attention then my fanfics lately, but I'll try to correct this. I'm sorry if my procrastinating scared any of you readers off. Again, I am sorry.

Thomas: Damn straight you are.

JC: Um...that's really about all I have to say...so let's finish up this top crap.

(Bou: **DISCLAIMER**: I don't own it. J doesn't own it. We claim no ownership and make no money for this story. But if we actually did, it would be totally sweet...)

JC:** WARNINGS**: If you didn't notice yet...this story is slash. That means that two dudes are probably going to kiss. If you are feeling brave, risk being mentally scarred by it. If you want to let me know how much you hate slash...call my agent. He will deal with that crap. Personally, I don't care.

Thomas:** PAIRINGS**: Right now, we are sticking with the Finn/Valmont thing. There will also be insinuations of Finn/ Shendu(one-sided) every once in awhile, maybe. If you'd like to request a pairing, we'll see about adding it in. J loves getting requests...for some reason.

JC: **ARCHIVE**: If you want to post this on you web page or whatever(though I don't know why you would) you must first follow three simple steps. And they are very simple, dears.

1. Email me or contact me in some way(a review will work even) to let me know

2. Put my name on it somewhere. Don't steal it and call it your own. Give me a little credit here, people.

3. Give me the address of the site. You can send this with the notification in step 1.

Bou: Yes, we expect you all to race to do that. I mean, everyone wants this crappy story on their site.

Thomas: They sure do...

JC: Um...is that all?

Bou: Yep.

JC: Good. Alright guys, hope you like this chapter. It gets confusing with all the "he" and "his" stuff, but you'll figure it out. Enjoy, please!

* * *

**Twisted Love Tale**

**Chapter 2**

A silence settled over the room. Through his experiences, Finn had discovered that there were two main kinds of silence. There was the friendly silence, where people were comfortable. This was a silence that settled when there was no need for words. Silence was, at these times, a luxury that you could afford. These were rare and pleasant to experience. Then there was the other silence, the first's opposite. This settled over people with a harshness, often suffocating and crushing those who must endure it. It happens not when nothing needs to be said, but when nothing can be said. It is awkward and something that, if lasting long enough, could probably kill someone. It left you fishing for words, frustrating you as you can find nothing to fill it.

Unfortunately, the silence that filled the room was the latter. The tension in the room was thick and Finn felt it was hard for his lungs to draw in oxygen with it clouding the air. Not even half as bad as the silence, though, was the realization of what had caused the silence. It was impossible, crazy, absurd, and had happened mere seconds ago, though the seconds seemed to have stretched into an eternity.

Soft lips. His own still tingled. He felt the sudden urge to run his fingers over his lips, to see if he could still _feel_ the memory on them. His hand didn't move to indulge his urge. A green clothe lay forgotten on the table. His hand still gripped it lightly, though he was unaware of this. The clothing was the only thing separating him from the other. The one who had caused the silence. Finn's eyes were transfixed on him. He would have loved to looked away, to turn his gaze to the table top, floor, or anything other than those stunning blue eyes. But he found himself unable. The red head hoped, more than anything at the moment, that the other would turn away. What right did he have to stare straight back? The man had caused this. Why should the other stare him down, when he was probably totally capable of averting his gaze? Those blue eyes shouldn't be burning into his own green ones. It was unfair. Finn wanted to run. He wanted to hide and never see this man again. He wanted to forget what had happened and go home. He wanted to come back tomorrow and have everything be the same as before. He wanted to feel those lips against his again, but at the same time to never have felt them in the first place. What he wanted most, though, was to have something to say. But what could be said? His mouth felt dry and he figured that even if he could think of those words, he wouldn't be able to say them.

Everything through the last hours were so strange. Valmont had seemed out of it all day. It was odd. Finn was rather worried about his boss. After all, he was one of his only friends. It wasn't as if the redhead really drew friends in. It's hard to have any 'real' friends in the criminal business. Chow, Ratso, and, as earlier mentioned, Valmont were about all he had. Chow and Ratso were always his comrades, for as long as it mattered(hell, it really didn't matter at all before they arrived in Finn's life). Valmont, well, he may have been the boss, but it was hard not to befriend a man you spent so much of your time with. Like they say, you either grow to love them or hate them. Befriend them or kill them. Finn doubted he could kill the white-haired man, even if he could be bit commanding. That's just what bosses do. Besides, he really was a very cool guy once you got to know him. Oh, and he paid well. That was always on the plus side.

Anyway, Finn was beginning to worry about his boss. He figured it was probably stress. He knew personally how annoying that damn dragon Shendu could be. Finn thought that maybe if his boss did something relaxing, he might get back to normal. Something relaxing, like poker. It was normal for the Enforcers to start up a game on nights such as this. When Chow had produced a deck of cards from his sleeve and waved it for the other's to see, Finn had immediately thought of Valmont. He had the others wait for him in the Deck while he went off in search of the white-haired man. The others didn't protest to adding Valmont to the game. "The more the better" Chow had said, and finished it off with a wide smirk, adding "Besides, I've always wanted to clean out the boss' stash."

So off Finn went. He had to go all the way across the house, but it really didn't bother him. It was a little out of the way but he really wanted his boss to play.

When Finn had met up with the white-haired man, his worry for the other raised. Valmont seemed caught up in thought. He almost walked right into Finn. He probably would have plowed him down and kept moving on if the red head hadn't caught his attention. The other had smirked down at him, making Finn realize the height difference between them more than ever before. He felt rather short. That was never fun. Spending so much time around Chow had given some sort of delusion of height. Sure, he realized that he wasn't tall, especially not compared to those around him. He figured having at least one person shorter than him just made him feel bigger. It was odd to him, feeling so small compared to the other man. It gave him an oddly vulnerable feeling. Not wanting to dwell on it, Finn decided to get it might be good to get to the point. Taking a breath and hoping his boss wouldn't notice it, he asked him if he wanted to play cards. And he declined.

The fact that Valmont had said no wasn't what shocked Finn. It was that when his boss said no, Finn felt a horrible stab of disappointment. It was odd, but he had really wanted the white-haired man to play. He hadn't even realized it and when he did it shocked him and left him rather confused. Finn's face fell, his usually smirk replaced by a small frown and his eyes shining the disappointment he so strongly felt. It was silly. He shouldn't have let it get to him, and he defiantly shouldn't have let that it got to him show. However, he did little to hide is depression. He hoped that maybe Valmont would be to out of it to notice. But then, his boss asked a question. Then he asked another. An odd look came into his eyes and he studied Finn. The scrutiny was a little awkward and the red head felt relieved when the other looked away from him. But as soon as the eyes were gone, he was shocked by the words that came from Valmont's mouth. The white-haired man had changed his mind, he wanted to play cards. Finn's face had lite up and he had all but dragged his boss away.

Of course, everything had gone over fine. Valmont had appeared, at least in Finn's opinion, to have relaxed and was even having fun(which was doubtful to be a common thing from the crime lord). Finn felt at ease, playing the game with everyone. It seemed totally unreal to think about playing this again without Valmont. Even once Chow and Ratso had decided to call it a night, he still felt laid back. Just hanging out with the white-haired man was enjoyable for Finn.

Then everything was ruined. He should have known it wouldn't last, but he never would have guessed what ended it. Now he sat here, unable to tear his gaze from the other's, trying to gulp down the fact that his boss had just kissed him. It was crazy and totally unreal. It ran through his head over and over that this wasn't happening but the memory of it was so fresh he couldn't truly deny it. Only a few seconds ago Valmont had kissed him. It wasn't going to change, it wasn't going to go away. It was reality and it sunk in more and more as the seconds turned into minutes and still Finn stared down a pair of blue eyes and still his shock remained, deflating with each second but still not gone.

Valmont's lips parted, as if he were about to say something, and Finn finally tore his eyes from the other's and stared down at the table. Valmont closed his mouth once more, looking deflated. Finn's eyes were fixated on the table. He felt extremely nervous. He wasn't sure what to expect. What do you do when someone kisses you? Yell at them? No, Finn didn't think it was that big of a deal. And it wasn't as if the white-haired man was unattractive. Quite the opposite. Finn just never expected that the other was interested in him. It was a shocking thing to find out.

Finn continued to stare at the table as he became lost in thought. What did he do now? His mind ran through scenario after scenario. What could he say? What would be the best approach? Finn sighed, a bit to loudly. He blushed when he realized that Valmont must have heard him. Well, that wasn't really the first thing he had wanted to get out. Finn slowly pulled his head up and glanced at his boss. The white-haired man's eyes met his for a second before he turned away. Finn heard the scarp of chair legs against the floor as Valmont stood up. The man turned around, not bothering to look at Finn again, and began to walk toward the door.

"W-wait!" Finn claimed, pushing himself out of his chair and chasing after his boss. He reached the other man before he got out the door and Finn attached himself to his arm, stopping him in his tracks. The crime lord looked down at him, looking confused. Finn sighed again.

"You can't just leave! After what you did. I still don't know what the hell is going on and I'm waiting for an explanation! You think you can just get up and go? We have to...to talk about this or something! Seriously, I am very confused." Finn cried, in explanation to his actions, babbling slightly. Valmont blinked once. Then he burst into laughter.

It started softly, then slowly elevated louder and louder until it could probably be heard through the building. It wasn't the normal laughter, but it wasn't quite hysterical. It seemed like an odd hybrid of the two. Something odd between amusement and hysteria. Like some sick feeling that one could only express by laughing and laughing loud. As Finn watched Valmont laugh, he found himself beginning to join in. It started as a short giggle, erupting from his mouth of its own will. Then it turned into a louder laugh, then more of them, and soon the red head found himself nearly in tears with laughter. He tightened his grip on his boss as he slipped further and further into the laughter. He felt his knees go out and fell to the ground, pulling Valmont down with him. He giggled insanely the whole way the down. Valmont landed slightly on top of Finn, and he stopped for a moment in his laughter, arching an eyebrow at the other. Finn cut off his own laughter and surveyed the situation for a moment. He was sitting on his on the floor, his boss half sprawled across him. The redhead still had his arms wrapped around the other's, holding the other down. If the white-haired man wanted to stand up or get away from the other he wouldn't be able to. Not that he seemed to be trying. Finn ran over the situation once more, then turned to stare at the other. The crime lord's eyebrow was still arched and he had a bemused look on his face. Finn grinned sheepishly.

"Weak knees?" Valmont's voice startled Finn slightly. He wasn't expecting the other to talk anytime soon. Despite the awkwardness of everything that had happened, Valmont had a small smile that comforted Finn and made him forget that he should be confused and feeling very out of place.

"I guess so..." Finn replied after a moment, face turning slightly red as Valmont smirked at him in a mocking way, "It was your fault, anyway! If you hadn't started laughing for no reason, I wouldn't have fallen!" Finn finished off with a slight huff. Valmont frowned at him slightly.

"About that..." Valmont began, sounding nervous, which was an odd thing for the crime lord. He paused for a long moment before finishing with, "I'm sorry."

Finn felt a sigh pass his lips once again. This was the part where it got weird again. Gathering up all his courage, Finn opened his mouth to reply——only to close it again a second later. Apparently, all his courage wasn't quite enough. He had to bite his lip to keep from sighing again. He racked his brain for something to say. Did he tell the other it was okay? _Was_ it okay? Finn thought another moment on that question and stumbled on an answer he really didn't expect: it was. It was completely okay. In fact, it was better than okay. He even went so far as to want it to happen again. In some way, he was glad that Valmont had kissed him. And now, he wanted him to do it again.

"I..." Valmont began to talk again, but Finn cut him off right away by pressing his lips to the other's. He held them there for a long moment, eyes wide open and staring into the blue his boss'. They sat unmoving for a long moment, lips just touching, doing nothing else. It was actually Valmont who pulled away first. The crime lord stared at Finn for a long moment, his eyes searching into his green ones. Finally, after a long silence, the white-haired man began to laugh again. His laughter grew in volume, echoing slightly off the walls. This new laugh was much like his first, with a small difference. It seemed now to hold a small note of joy, something notably happy about it now. Letting himself go, Finn joined in the laughter, gripping the other tightly and finding comfort in the fact that he was gripped back. The two lay for a long while, laughing on the floor, holding onto each other as if they believed if they let go, they'd tumble over the edge of an emotional cliff. They didn't realize that, if not already then soon, it might very well be true.

* * *

An: Man, that took way longer than it was ever meant to. I hope if was worth waiting for, everyone. I apologize now and promise to attempt getting the next one done much faster. Yes, there will be a next. This isn't over yet. You're in for a long haul, people. I plan to make this one big. Don't worry, it will get better as we get more into it. I might break it up into a few stories instead just one with a bunch of chapters. I'm not sure yet. Opinions on that would be appreciated. Hell, any opinions would be appreciated. I adore reading your reviews and they really inspire me. In fact, I love you reviewers so much that I always respond to you. I think I'll do that now!

Thanks in general to everyone who helped this fic escape the recycle bin! But more specifically, I have some more personal things to say to each of you:

graphophilic: I appreciate your review. That fact that no one responded to it at first made me sad. You made me very happy. Sorry it wasn't ASAP. Hope you haven't given up on me yet. I'll get it up faster next time(let's hope...). Thank you for the review!

Skymouth: I'm actually a really big Finn/Chow fan. However, I love this pairing and since I can't find it_ anywhere_, I decided to write one of my own. I'm glad you like it so much. I'm not sure about a lemon. I haven't ever really written one for a fan fiction...I'll consider it though. It might get this removed from anyway, and I hate having to re-post stories. Maybe I'll just write you a special one and send it to you. Thank you very much!

Auburn Red: You're no longer alone! I'm glad you like it. I had a problem with the heart thing(I was like, "No! I can't give him a heart! It will ruin his character!") but he needs one to be in a "love"(word used loosely) story, so I gave it to him. I hope I didn't screw up his character too much. I was actually planning on continuing the story to the point when the two shared a body. I figured it would be interesting. It might end up being a sequel, actually. Anyway, thanks soooo much for your review!

Sapphirepearlz: My story got called "intriguing"! Yay! I hope you still plan to read it. Thanks a lot.

PrincessYaoi: Well...it's updated now. Sorry it took this long. I won't leave you hanging again(not for too long, at least). I'm glad you like my story so much. Thanks for the support.

Andreac: I'm not sure if you plan to kill me or hug me. I'm glad you think so. I hope the second chapter lived up to your expectations. Thank you for loving it and me!

Oh, and that you for the wonderful email. It really got me moving. I didn't mean to leave you all hanging for so long. I beg for forgiveness.

Um...I know you all are probably mad at me for taking so long, but don't let that stop you from reviewing! I need support, and it helps me write faster.


	3. Chapter 3

Looking Back

* * *

Being in a relationship was a difficult task. Finn realized this when he began. Relationships involved hard work and sacrifice. They also involved make-out sessions at work, which made sacrifices and hard work seem very much worth it. Communication was key, as well as compromise. Relationships, in his experience, could not always go smoothly. It was up to those involved to work around their troubles together. Problems properly handled would simply strengthen the bond between the two men. Finn told himself that it would all be worth it in the end. However, Finn never expected some of the problems that occurred soon after getting involved with Valmont. Hindsight is always twenty-twenty. In retrospect, he really should have seen it coming. In a job like his, strange things could always be counted on. And his work had not changed simply because he began dating his boss. Valmont had not suddenly changed once they were together. He still desired the treasure Shendu had promised. The Dark Hand was still sent out to find talisman. Jackie Chan still fought the group at least once a week, if not more often, and crime rates in their area remained steady. Getting a boyfriend does not make a person go lawful, especially when said boyfriend is a crime lord. In the end, work had only become slightly more sexy, as there was always a good chance he would get some before the day was through. Often Finn would be suddenly pulled into an empty room and ravished. They had tried doing it in Valmont's office, but sex was too unnerving knowing that Shendu was watching, and apparently enjoying, their every (given: very sexy) move. This in no way tapered off their exploits. They instead became more creative about places to utilize for such purposes. The thrill of being in a less private and personal area seemed to affect Valmont with even greater passion. Finn did not mind much either. Though afterwards, it was difficult to look at any of the closets or tables in the same way.

The other members of the crime organization were fine with Finn and Valmont's new relationship in their own ways. Chow had figured out about it rather quickly, what with Finn being constantly jumped by the white haired man. Of course the two men tried to be tactful as they stumbled out of the room with half-thought out excuses and excited hands trying not to roam too obviously across the other body. Chow liked to think he knew both men very well. Though they never flat out mentioned their new fling, they did not deny it either, and lightly veiled innuendo was used unabashedly by the small Asian in order to reassure them that he did not really mind.

Ratso had yet to figure it out. Really, that was not his fault. He was not stupid, or at least not too overtly so. If he had seen everything Chow had, he would have known as well. Being in such a small group created strong bonds between the men, whether they wanted it or not. He was confident in his knowledge of each mans' moods and current habits. However, he seemed to have a knack for simply missing out on the recent action. Each time Finn became a bit too touchy feely with his boss, Ratso was looking away. He always conveniently left the room just before Finn was tackled and deflowered by Valmont. As Chows smirked and pointed out a suggestible coincidence or nuance two the couple, Ratso was distracted by something else. His guileless avoidance even stopped him from recognizing Finn's redden face and Valmont taking on a thoughtful and devious expression as he processed any new ideas to torture his subordinate lover. Ratso did, however, feel a new closeness form between the others. It seemed as if their link as co-criminals and (though perhaps not often admitted) friends was growing stronger. He saw that Valmont seemed to smile more, Chow had more to laugh about, Finn's jokes were less cynical, and reprimands for failure had lost much of their severity. Though he could not look objectively at himself, he knew he was acting slightly different as well. But he did know for sure that it was a positive change and that he and those around him were most certainly, at the moment, happy.

Tohru had absolutely no opinion either way about the coupling of his boss and his co-worker. Had Ratso really bothered to look, he would have seen no real change in the large man. Despite being part of the small team, he was extremely detached from the others. If he was really even aware of anything going on, he never mentioned it. More likely, Finn imagined it simply never occurred to the other man. If he saw Valmont stand closer to Finn in meetings, noticed their hand brushing, or even simply picked up on a more positive mood, it meant nothing to him. He worked for his pay and did not get involved. He did not care about anything past the job Valmont assigned him for the day. His focused attitude was a foundation for the continued normalcy for everyone else. They all still had a job to do, a common goal. Things may have changed, but really life was still the same. They were still the Dark Hand, and Finn liked to believe that fact would never need to change.

Even if they did find a grand treasure and were all able to enter early retirement.

All in all, the relationship was everything Finn could have hoped for. He did not really care for change. If Valmont had decided to make himself an honest man for his sake, Finn really did not know how he could have stayed sane. His only real complaint was that there was no financial benefit from it all. He had suggested, only partly joking, that Valmont pay him for any sex that they wound up having on the clock. He insisted that it really was extra work and that he was being cheated out of valuable energy with no compensation. Valmont told him in no uncertain terms that if he wanted to be a whore, he would be treated that way. Finn, after carefully considering the benefits of being sexually degraded, in the end decided that it probably was not the safest path to choose with someone as capable of sadism as Valmont. He knew the other man felt as strongly as he did about their relationship, but that did not mean he would always hold back his cruel side, especially when Finn would mostly likely perversely enjoy it.

Contentment settled down upon the group, disturbed only by the constant setbacks in their quest. They had only two talismans, much to Shendu's very vocal displeasure, and Jackie Chan had nine others. With only one more talisman left to be found and the Chinese New Year quickly approaching, there seemed to be very little hope for the Dark Hand to come out on top.

Finn was an optimist. His life was better than it had been in a very long time. Things finally seemed to be going his way. In this in mind, he was not willing to simply admit defeat even as the week progressed and they broke no ground in their attempts to either find the last talisman or discover the location of Section 13. Meetings to discuss strategy became more and more tense and volatile. The walls and doors were becoming dented and full of cracks because of frustrated abuse. Valmont lost his temper often. He did not retain any anger towards his lackeys, and his irritation at their lack of progress was shared within the group. His tension seemed to grow with each private discussion he held with Shendu. Softly spoken words easily turned into shouting matches between the two. Seeing the up close results of all the turbulence on Valmont was difficult for Finn. The always perfectly composed man was coming slightly apart at the seams. It was all Finn could do to keep the both of them held sanely together, as well as trying to guide Ratso and Chow as well. His determination was firmly set and grew with each day in desperation. He knew that Chan was more skilled than any of them could hope. He knew that the odds were not in their favor. He also knew that all their perfect plans and ambitions were become less realistic. He knew that logically, the best choice would be to plan anew, let this victory go, and change their course towards some other, most favorably end.

For the sake of how things were, Finn was still determined to ignore all the voices in his head and just try even harder to reach his current goals. He threw himself towards all their problems and told himself that no matter what, he would not let anything as ridiculous as Jackie Chan or ancient magic or even government agencies come between the favorable direction his life had now taken.

He never even imagined what his determination would have to endure. Looking back, he could not help but wonder if his commitment to the Dark Hand, to his friends, to Valmont, and to his current lifestyle had really been worth it. But once he was set in motion to protect what he knew, it was impossible to go back.

* * *

Valmont was on his last straw. The Dark Hand needed to capture Chan and discover the location of the talisman. Desperation has a way of coming through. For once, things actually worked out.

And, thinking back, that's where all the trouble really started.

* * *

AN: I had never really meant to abandon this. I did take a very purposeful step back from ff because my writing here is so utterly terrible. But I always did like this story. And, I do plan to really take it somewhere. Next chapter should be quick and easy. This is really just a transitional chapter. Very short. Good times. All that. Next one will add plot? Or as much as this can really be called plot and not just randomly-JC-pleasing-events. Chan will make an appearance hopefully. Maybe. First Valmont reveals some inner conflict. Which I am excited for. Inner conflict=round character=plot? Hopefully so. Wish me luck anyways. ^__^

Let me know that you are happy I am back? I don't know if I am happy about it. This was a random fit of boredom and going through old files. Maybe I'll be inspired to finish that Yugioh thing I was doing. Or maybe I will rewrite it because it was pretty bad. Plus I have no idea where I was going with it. At all anymore. And other tragedies. But enough about that. I do get carried away in these notes. Untilnexttimewhichwillbesoonish. Peaces.


	4. Chapter 4

**Temporary Insanity Pending**

* * *

Valmont had taken to believing that, for a very short while, he had gone insane. It was the only explanation that really made sense. It also protected his dignity, which he had nearly lost entirely for a short while. All over a pair of bright green eyes and a red head's complexion. It was easy for him to roll his eyes over it now that the insanity had passed, but it had been very serious. He had nearly started to think of it as love, embarrassingly enough. Though he was careful to never mention that particular, crazy thought to Finn. It would surely leave him mocking his boss for the rest of his life.

Despite his vigorous denial of it, he truly had thought for a short time that Finn had stolen his heart. He would willingly admit that he lusted after the other savagely, and even cared for him beyond that of a underling or even a friend. He was proud to have a relationship with Finn, and was fiercely protective of it. But really, love was too strong, too loaded a word. He wished he could go back in time and tell himself that.

He would have been willing to do anything for the red head not too long ago. He found himself constantly distracted by the man. His mind would romanticize every little detail about Finn. His green eyes sparkled and radiated joy. His hair was silky and alluring (surprisingly, the same could be said of his skin, and Valmont never claimed that in his insanity he was very creative). His smile was the sun itself. The endless list of unrealistic observations turned his stomach to recall. It really just did not suit a man in his position to have been so utterly, sickly head over heels. Luckily, he had come to his senses. It had probably happened after they had shared their first kisses, and laughed hysterically for nearly an hour (that occurrence in itself was worrisome). It was the last of his really erratic, inexplicable behavior. Even with the drastic change of suddenly having a brilliant lover, it was as if life finally got back to normal for him. He stopped daydreaming about the other man. Admittedly, whenever the urge over took him he could simply grab him and pound him into the nearest flat surface. Really, he didn't need to develop any self control at all since sex was always within his reach. But the important thing was that he was no longer acting like a prepubescent girl with a crush. His self confidence was returned to all it grandeur. His ambitions were set to higher tasks than getting laid. He was once again his all around awe-inspiring, not overly emotional (in fact, very manly instead) worship worthy self.

As a bonus, he was happier than he had ever been. At least for a while. Until things caught back up with him.

Now, Valmont was not happy. Which would not be surprising to anyone around him. Things were certainly not going his way as of recent. There was the fact that he had somehow managed to peacefully snag his love interest. And there was the now very frequent sex. Which was great. But otherwise, things could not be any worse. In fact, part of the white haired man's great frustration stemmed from Finn. Or more importantly, a demon's apparent interest in Finn.

Shendu was not particularly polite in any of his insinuations about the red head. If Valmont had displeased him especially, he was often very graphic in his descriptions. It was an obvious, crude attempt to make Valmont angry. It worked like a charm every time. It was not all that often that Shendu mentioned Finn in their conversations. His main focus was on obtaining the talismans. Power was his only objective. Even his interest in the man was simply an attempt to hold power over Valmont. Despite that, it still greatly worried Valmont. Finn was his property, and he was always extremely possessive about anything he owned. Once he helped Shendu reach his ends, he worried he would risk losing Finn to the demon. It was completely unacceptable. He had become too attached to the other man. He cared about him on a deeper level than he did anyone else. The thought of losing him, even with the prospect of absurdly great riches, unsettled him deeply. He tried constantly to dispel his worries. Shendu certainly had more important goals than stealing his lover. Once he was free, the demon could have anyone in the entire world. His interest only spawned from a desire to torture Valmont. Once they no longer had to work together, the infatuation would disappear. It was really very simple.

And yet, Valmont still could not clear his heads of such worries. He nearly wanted to simply throw off all ties with Shendu. He wished he could just give up on the talismans and find a new way to satiate his treasure lust. For a short time, it seemed to him that his relationship with Finn was worth giving up anything, even ancient riches.

Then he would snap back out of it and nearly kick himself for such ridiculousness. His worries were absurd and very questionable. He could never give up what he had worked all this time for simply because he was too attached and paranoid about Finn. He was a greedy, power-hungry crime lord. Of course he would continue to help Shendu in order to obtain obscene amounts of money and prestige among the criminal world. That was all just part of who he was. His relationship with Finn may have changed his sex life, it may have changed his outlook on life, it even changed his work, but it did not change his overall goals and it certainly had not changed his personality. He could not let insanity grip him like when he had first been pursuing his love interest. Valmont was not a romantic and he knew that Finn was not either. He hardly believed that a sudden personality switch would please the other man any more than it would himself.

Despite all his reassurance, however, his fists still clenched every time he looked at Shendu, he still felt a desperate pulling in his chest when Finn mentioned the talismans, and he still could not ease his restless mind. As the New Year got closer he felt his frustration ready to burst on both sides. Even as he demanded that Chan be brought to him and interrogated for knowledge about Area 13 he felt torn. He needed to get those talismans before time was up. He needed to defeat Chan. He needed to stop the way Shendu leered the Finn's passing figure. He needed to lower his voice whenever his arguments with Shendu degraded into mindless yelling.

He needed a drink.

But Finn seemed to see that his boss was overly stressed. He did not understand everything Valmont needed, but he alleviated some of that need anyway. The man was trying his best to be supportive and comforting. The feeling of pale hands running through his hair soothed the crime lord more than he would ever admit. Finn's firm body against his own was relaxing. Even while plotting their next move against Chan, Finn's close presence and occasional hand brushes helped immensely to distract his thoughts of possible loss.

When he was again alone with the demon, it all came back worse than ever. He absolutely hated Shendu. After he received his payment, he swore never wanted to hear that hissing voice ever again. It made him want to pull out chunks of his perfect hair or tear at this immaculate suit.

He was falling to pieces and somehow he knew things were only going to get worse.

* * *

**AN**: This really really should have been tacked onto the last chapter. Really. But enough setting up for the plot. After this, there will be actual action. With progression. And hopefully, if my writing style can handle it, a great deal of humor.

Also, I got a serious kick out of typing "treasure lust". And then rereading it made me giggle. Cause I just like it that way.

Great thanks to **Priince** and **Saiyasha Misamurai**, for possibly being the only two people in the world to read this. I must apologize for taking so long to update, since this was written 15 days ago and I just kept putting off posting it. Even though so few people enjoy it, getting any review at all inspires me to keep going. So seriously, thanks (and sorry).

I would love to hear anything more you have to say.


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